Abstract: A cutter suitable for severing thick communications cable comprises a cutting lever member and a holding lever member pivoted to each other between their ends to provide, at one end thereof, a pair of opposed jaws. One of the jaws is in the form of a hook-shaped holding member having a concave nesting area for receiving the cable to be cut, and the other jaw is in the form of a cutting head having a cutting edge facing the nesting area and the cable. The cutting lever member has an integral handle at its other end, while a ratchetting lever member, with handle, is pivotally mounted on the other end of the holding lever member. The rim of the cutting head opposite from its cutting edge is toothed to form a gear segment which meshes with a drive sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on the pivot which mounts the ratchetting lever member.

Abstract: Handle-operated shear-type cable cutter with one jaw member integral with one of its handles, the other jaw member being connected with the first by a main pivot about which said other jaw member rotates. An arcuate ratchet segment, integral with the rotatable jaw member, has ratchet teeth on a portion of its periphery remote from the cutting edge of the jaw. It is driven by a pawl assembly comprising a U-shaped bracket, the saddle of which houses a drive pawl and the legs of which carry, at their free ends, journals which support the main pivot pin and transmit thrust to the jaw members. A link member, pivoted at both ends, interconnects the operating handle with the pawl assembly. The cutting edges of the jaws are shaped to define an opening within the tips as the jaws meet, which is preferably diamond-shaped, but which reduces in size as the jaws close. A lost-motion pin-in-slot connection limits closing movement of the handles.